The Fishing Program

While Ascension Bay undoubtedly is an incredible fishery with loads opportunity, it takes the right guides coupled with a unique approach to realize its tremendous potential. By cultivating a group of guides that are hands down the best in the region, The Palometa Club has designed a fishing program unlike any of our competition on Ascension or Espiritu Santo Bays. Whether you have fished the saltwater all your life or even visited one of the other lodges in the area – be prepared to witness an entirely different and vastly more productive style of flats fishing.

The #1 Permit Lodge in the World. Period

In fact, we are the only pure “permit lodge” in the world. Our guides’ scientific approach to the permit fishing techniques, tackle, and areas fished is very evident in their infectious enthusiasm and obvious desire to get the most out of every second in the fishing day. The guide staff are constantly comparing notes, tweaking fly patterns, and exploring new areas to find fish. Palometa Club has succeeded in creating a culture of revved up guides with a smile on their face and genuine love of chasing permit – all of which translates to more opportunity to close the deal and get one in the boat!

1:1 Guide Angler Ratio

The Club uses one guide for each angler (2 anglers and 2 guides per boat). This is not to be confused with one proper guide and one “apprentice guide” that serves as a boat driver. Each angler gets their own experienced guide dedicated to ensuring no fishing time or opportunities are wasted and all anglers are guaranteed one on one instruction. Having two guides provides multiple sets of eyes scanning for the next target. One guide will wade with the angler while the other guide will remain on the poling platform, managing the boat, keeping an eye on the school, and choreographing your approach for the best presentation. There are also scenarios where both anglers and both guides bail out of the boat to chase larger schools, thus getting everyone in the action at once.

Proof in the Numbers

Quoting numbers in the fishing business is usually ill-advised, but our documented success is impossible to ignore:
Since the Palometa Club opened its doors ten years ago, we have landed over 2000 permit to date fishing shortened six month seasons from January – early June.  One client, Joe Seelig of Anchorage, Alaska landed twenty permit in 17 days of fishing during our 2012 season as well as his 51st permit – all caught as a guest of the Palometa Club. Dick Cameron, co-manager of the lodge landed the unofficial world-record 52 pound permit in 2010 – the same day he landed a fish estimated at over thirty pounds! We boast of double digit grand slams each season – and would log more if our guests preferred a slam over a multiple permit day.  Finally, we boast of a 60% + re-booking rate season after season… the ultimate testimonial for the quality of a fishing lodge.